Conventional systematic therapy
Cyclosporine
Cyclosporine is an organic chemical compound, a cyclic 11-amino-acid peptide. It used to be applied mainly in transplantology. When cyclosporine was found to suppress the activity of the immune system, it was introduced to the treatment of severe psoriasis.
Cyclosporine therapy for psoriasis is effective because it inhibits T-cell proliferation and suppresses immune response. In standard cyclosporine treatment, the majority of patients experience significant improvement of skin manifestations. Cyclosporine is administered in tablets. The treatment lasts 3-4 months on average, but the effects of therapy are seen in just a few days. However, psoriatic symptoms are very likely to exacerbate after discontinuation of therapy.
The most common side effects of cyclosporine include: arterial hypertension, kidney dysfunctions, increased risk of cancer, diarrhoea, liver problems, nausea, and general fatigue.